My big project is coming along quickly (and expensively) - so close I can almost taste the asado. You know how they always say these projects take twice as long and cost twice as much as you budget? They are right. Anyhow, I'm still pleased as punch with this Mugnaini picolo 80 pizza oven and a Norcal Ovenworks Argentine wood burning grill (will go on the right in the enclosure there). Next week they are supposed to finish all the brickwork and install the grill and the rest of the appliances. I'm about 3 weeks out to completion. And not a moment too soon.

Latest Progress Update - The masons have done a great job building out the flue and chimney. I'll be curious to see how the draw on the grill will work out since its so large - but we are hoping the chimney will do its job. Otherwise I get smoke in my face.

Thanks team. The columns will be stucco'd and will support an arbor (not solid, but cross hatched). There will be lights and speakers (from the house system) installed in there, along with irrigation for hanging pots of rosemary and other fresh herbs I can grab and tie together for a baster (when I'm done, I throw these on the coals). The grill opening will house an Argentinian style grill (with the requisite separate log burning slot on the left. When the wood burns down the coals fall out of the grate and you move/position them under the grill where you want them. The grill has a wheel that I can raise and lower it with. This setup is strictly a log burner, with a gas lighter to get things started. Kind of hard to explain if you've never seen one of these but here's a shot of what they are supposed to look like:

The pizza oven on the left is a Mugnaini Picolo 80. It's their smallest model as the larger ones are just too big (this one is 5 feet deep at it is). It'll be big enough for anything I'd want to do and can also roast chickens, lamb legs, and big prime ribs. This week should show a lot of progress, thanks for letting me share it with you all.